‍"What impressed me the most is when General Secretary (Xi) said in the past, people's disposable income was 171 yuan (25 U.S. dollars). Now that amount has increased to 26,000 yuan (3,770 U.S. dollars)," Wu Yaqin said. "This drastic change has adequately shown that China's social security system has brought people a sense of fulfillment."

Wu is a leader for a local-level Communist Party of China (CPC) community. She is one of the millions who've closely followed President Xi Jinping's keynote speech Tuesday morning, designed to celebrate the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up.

During the speech, President Xi hailed the pursuit of the reform and opening-up policy and socialism with Chinese characteristics as one of the three milestones in achieving China's great national rejuvenation in the modern times.

China Friendship award winner Robert Laurence Kuhn agreed, or as he put it, "an amazing transformation it has been!" Kuhn was among the 100 individuals who was recognized because of their significant achievements in their careers by the CPC Central Committee.

"Once a backward economy and a closed society, China is now the world's second-largest economy, engaged openly with every country on Earth, and involved in every matter of global importance: economics, business, science, technology, education, healthcare, environment, culture, diplomacy, defense, global infrastructure construction, battles against poverty at home and abroad. China's transformation is unprecedented in world history," the CGTN anchor, who has been in China for 30 years, said.

Calling President Xi's speech "thought-provoking," Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng agreed on the significance of the period.

"Our generation is lucky to have witnessed and experienced 40 years of reform and opening-up. The last four decades have not only changed Chinese peoples' lives and the nation of China, but also the development of world history," Le said.

President Xi vowed during the speech that China will not develop at the expense of other parties, while promising that the country will produce "miracles that will impress the world" in terms of economic development in the coming years, while outlining the world's second largest economy's economic achievements over the four decades.

CEO of Internet giant Tencent, Pony Ma, who attended the meeting, argued that the high-quality development has been a guide over the 40 years of reform and opening-up.

Chairman of Chinese home appliance giant TCL Li Dongsheng, who also attended the meeting, pointed out that Chinese companies should look to further "internationalize."

"General Secretary Xi noted that, as a big country, the Chinese nation needs to have great ambitions. That also applies to Chinese companies. We need to have the vision of becoming companies that are competitive over the world," Li said.

President Xi promised that China will never stop its steps to further opening up. He called for greater efforts to follow such experience and "enrich and grow such assets through further reform and opening-up."

Professor Kishore Mahbubani with the National University of Singapore believes China needs to stick to further reform as China's economy continues to grow, challenges and problems lie ahead as well. 

"It was very wise for President Xi Jinping to emphasize that hey, we haven't arrived (at the final destination) . We have to keep moving on. We have to keep changing. We have to keep reforming."

(Top photo: President Xi visits the homes of impoverished villagers of the Yi ethnic group who live deep in Daliang Mountains of Zhaojue County, Sichuan Province, southwest China, Feb. 11, 2018. /Xinhua Photo)